Dance 101: What are the Health Benefits of Dance?

April 25, 2019

We all know that physical exercise is great for the body and the mind, and dance is no exception. No matter the style of dance you prefer to learn, your body will thank you for getting up and moving. In this article, we’ll break down both the mental and physical health benefits of putting on some music and getting into the rhythm.

The Physical Benefits of Dance

Of course, dance can burn calories and therefore help maintain a healthy weight. This is true of any form of exercise. Dance’s physical benefits extend far beyond helping to keep a person in shape. If the dancer has long-term dedication and passion for their artform, their body can be entirely transformed by dance. These changes can be felt on the inside and the outside, illustrating just how powerful the human body is.

Some of the many, many physical advantages of dance are:

Improved heart, lung and muscle condition.

Greater endurance and stamina.

Heightened flexibility.

Stronger bones.

Improved physical strength, overall.

Improved balance and peripheral vision.

There is no part of the body that doesn’t stand to benefit from making dance a part of your life. And when we say that, we’re including the brain.

The Mental Benefits of Dance

Physical exercise is known to help reduce stress, minimize anxiety and even help combat depression. Dance is capable of bringing this type of wellness and more into a person’s life, regardless of how frequently they do it.

Confidence soars when a person falls in love with dance and witness their own development as a dancer. The improved strength and flexibility that experienced dancers earn makes dancers feel strong, downright powerful, and inspired to keep going.

For those who experience isolation or exclusion in their daily lives, signing up for a dance class is a great way to break out of the routine, meet new people and forge relationships through the mutual love of dance. This is a great way for those who struggle with group communication skills to find a way to shine!

Every Mind and Body Could Use the Impact of Dance

The benefits listed above are just a sample of the many reasons that dancers have made this artform their personal passion. Even if you aren’t looking to transform your body into a lean, mean dancing machine, there are still things to be gained by dancing casually or for fun. Whenever you want to get into the groove, you should absolutely do it!

Dance is for everybody – yes, even the reader of this article who thinks they might not have the rhythm or talent for it. You don’t have to achieve the level of a professional dancer to get these tremendous health benefits.